Major project criteria for award of major project status

When assessing an application for major project status, the NT Government will assess the project against the following criteria:

Project significance

The project’s significance is linked to project size and includes consideration of:

  • the project’s NT related capital expenditure (typically $100 million in Darwin, with lower thresholds applying in remote and regional areas)
  • the project’s NT related operational expenditure
  • the project’s direct and indirect construction and operational workforce requirements
  • the proportion of capital and / or operational expenditure that will be sourced from within the NT or the region, and
  • the proportion of the work force that will be sourced from within the specific locality or the NT, including the impact on Indigenous employment and skilling.

Strategic impact

The project’s strategic impact including consideration of:

  • opportunities to leverage additional investment such as the multiplier impact on the supply chain
  • potential for flow on benefits from the project to other industries
  • the contribution that the project makes to enhanced industry / sector resilience
  • the project’s alignment with NT Government objectives and policies, and
  • the potential for additional economic development opportunities to be unlocked by the project.

Complexity

The project’s complexity including:

  • the regulatory and government approval requirements including the number and diversity of licenses, authorisations, and permits required, and
  • the environmental, economic and social impacts both within and beyond the project footprint.

Project feasibility

The project’s economic and commercial feasibility needs to be addressed. It is expected that, at a minimum, a pre-feasibility study would have been completed.

The study would be expected to canvas project scope and high level costings, demonstrating that the project can be delivered. Such pre-feasibility studies should also give consideration to all relevant aspects of the project’s delivery including timing, financing, environmental, social impact and land tenure issues.

Capacity to deliver

The proponent’s capacity to deliver the project including:

  • evidence of expertise and previous experience in the development and delivery of similar projects
  • the approach to and capacity to finance the project, and
  • the approach to project funding.

Ancillary information

Whether there is need for NT Government support

Details of any specific request including:

  • detailed description of the request (eg the delivery of infrastructure or concessions)
  • details of how any NT Government contribution impacts on the project business case
  • taxpayer return from any NT Government contribution including benefits and opportunities to the region in which the project is located and more broadly
  • the timing of any contribution request in relation to the project delivery timeline, and
  • how the request for a contribution aligns with NT Government priorities and policy.

The award of major project status is not a commitment by the NT Government to provide the requested assistance. The extent and level of project support the NT Government would be prepared to provide will be considered on a case by case basis and where appropriate will be detailed in a project development agreement.

Local industry participation, workforce development and social impact considerations

The project’s potential impacts on local industry participation, local workforce development and social impacts on the community will be considered and proponents should provide high level comments in relation to the potential project impacts on each of these. The Territory benefit policy can assist proponents with these considerations.


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